Class C Training Week Diary

[coffeeholic]

Dogmatix:
I answered a few questions on checks on the motor. I think I will get the missus to test me on them tonight just to be sure.

Maybe you could practice by doing the checks on your missus? You know, are all fluid levels correct? Are there any loose, broken or defective bits on the body or chassis? Any worrying noises or rattles whilst in motion? That sort of thing.

Mind you, doing the test with a couple of black eyes tomorrow may put you at a disadvantage so it’s maybe not such a good idea.

[coffeeholic]

Dogmatix:
Also, whoever can guess what tomorrows diary will be called will win a copy of T&D

Training Day 5 - I Passed.

If I am correct you can keep the T&D, I’ve already got a copy and it isn’t that good.

[dogmatix]

Day 5 - The Final Frontier

Well the day has finally arrived, spent a while last night going over the questions you get asked at the start of the test with the missus, who I have to say has been fantastic at supporting me with doing this and I love her to bits.

Wake up at about 10ish, and think oh man its the test day, spend a bit of time browsing the TruckNet forums, then at 11.30, I set off to meet Phil at the test centre.

Typical, the only day this week it rains, and its test day.

Arrive to the bad news that Aldy failed his test this morning, he put the truck in reverse instead of first when doing the gear change exersise which is a serious fault apparently. I am gutted for him.

We set off for a hour or so drive before the test, I am confident with my ability, and only seem to have trouble with hesitation at roundabouts, mainly one in Norwich that has 5 exits on it, but hesitation is not a bad thing imo, just something that comes with experience.

I have a good session and I am ready for my test, we arrive back at 2pm, we go over to the little office (which I swear is designed to make you more nervous) and wait for my examiner.

My examiner is Tony and its his final ever test as he is retiring after 12 years of tests on HGVs, we worked out that he has done roughly 39000 tests, he told me then that he is still waiting for his first pass

I answered the questions correctly, thanks to the help from the missus, completed the reversing exercise, although I had thought I had ballsed it up when I was coming in at the wrong angle, but sorted it out, he told me not to get out of the cab as it was spot on.

After the braking test, we set off on our journey around the city, I am obsessed with my mirrors, checking them probably every 5 seconds, of all the routes that we have practised, he chose my favourite one which takes us out into the countryside, I got all the roundabouts perfectly, and completed my downhill start and gear change exercise with no problems.

Its end of school time at the small village we go through and there is cars everywhere, but I managed to navigate them with ease, we then came to the hill start exersise, I pulled up on the left and did all the preparations correctly, then watching my mirrors I signalled and watched as car after car came by, then one stopped signalling and appeared to move back in behind me so I started to go, only for the driver to floor it and come around me, I jumped on the brakes and put the parking brake on thinking oh ■■■■, the next car is kind and flashes me out, so I then pull away with no problems.

We continue back towards the test centre, going down quite narrow roads where you have to slow down when other HGVs come past, work our way back through the ring road in the city and back to the test centre.

We pull up and I am sitting there thinking oh ■■■■ the only thing I could think I made a mistake on was the hill start.

"Jon,…

I am pleased to tell you that you have passed your test."

HURRAH, I sighed and leant back in the chair. I asked how many faults I had made, and he told me that I had not made a single fault.

As it was Tonys last test, he got my examiner to take our photograph in front of the truck with my certificate.

So what did we learn today?

1. Have confidence in your own abilities and you can not fail.
2. My cat that has a fractured hip after getting hit by a car and is in a cage for 4 weeks bed rest, is going to spend more time behind bars than Paris Hilton.
3. I have gradually got better over the week, which is how its supposed to work.
4. I now have a Class C license.
5. The heated front windscreen in my car makes the crack grow when I switch it on.

I can also reveal that Aldy, is actually Alan.

Also my diary titles where based upon the names of Star Trek Films.

Happy Driving everyone.

[coffeeholic]

Congratulations.

Now can you hurry up and do your C+E because I want to read more of your diaries.

[gav]

round of applause for that there man.feels good dont it,wait till you get the big 1

[shade]

I was getting tense reading the tthat !!!

Congrats and well done , and nice work helping us to follow your week fella

Now go buy beer

[tagoat]

Big congratulations & well done !

[mrflibble]

Dogmatix:
Arrive to the bad news that Aldy failed his test this morning, he put the truck in reverse instead of first when doing the gear change exersise which is a serious fault apparently. I am gutted for him.

From memory of when I did my test, getting a wrong gear during most of your test is usually a minor (I tried to pull away in low 8th from an uphill set of traffic lights on my test, because I’d forgotten to push the collar down to go into low range), as long as you realise it and correct it sensibly. However, on the gearchange exercise, it’s an immediate fail, as you have to do it all right first time.

Dogmatix:
We set off for a hour or so drive before the test, I am confident with my ability, and only seem to have trouble with hesitation at roundabouts, mainly one in Norwich that has 5 exits on it, but hesitation is not a bad thing imo, just something that comes with experience.

I’ll probably get told off for this, but…

IME, you can get away with holding up traffic on roundabouts a lot more when you’re out on the road in real life than when you’re on your test. When you’re out on the road in real life, you have to balance the fact that you’re delaying the vehicles you’re “pulling out in front of” against the fact that the longer you wait trying to get onto the roundabout, the more you’re holding up the traffic behind you. It’s all very well saying that you never pull out if it would force a vehicle to slow down, but on some roundabouts, you’d be there for hours, especially when you’re fully-loaded with some of the lower-spec fleet motors.

What I do is look at the roundabout and try to determine if it looks busy enough that I might have a problem getting out. If there is obviously not going to be a problem getting out once the vehicles that I’m supposed to give way to have gone, then I’ll stop and wait. However, that’s relatively uncommon, so if, by pulling out, I’m only going to force a driver of a small vehicle to come off the accelerator, or maybe touch a bit of light brakes to lose some speed, and it’s obviously not going to cause a significant problem, then I’d pull out. This is particularly relevant if you’re still moving on the approach to the roundabout, as once you’ve stopped, you’re almost certainly going to have to hold someone up by at least the same amount when you finally get going, simply because you have to accelerate from a standing start.

For example - a small-ish hard roundabout with 4 exits. You are stopped at the line, and a car is stopped at the line on the entrance to your right. You both become able to move at the same time. In theory, you should stay stopped and give way. However, if it’s a reasonably busy roundabout, then I’d go for it. It just means that they have to accelerate away a bit more slowly, whereas if you stay stopped, you could be there for ages, holding up the traffic behind you.

I think that’s a reasonably pragmatic approach IMHO. Of course, if you do it on your test, you’d probably fail…

Dogmatix:
I am pleased to tell you that you have passed your test."

Congratulations

Dogmatix:
5) The heated front windscreen in my car makes the crack grow when I switch it on.

I thoroughly recommend getting your windscreen replaced ASAP - cracked screens can shatter suddenly and unexpectedly, particularly under the pressure of wind at motorway speeds.

Dogmatix:
Also my diary titles where based upon the names of Star Trek Films.

I hadn’t noticed that you were giving each day a different name…

If I had, I probably would have realised…

Coffeholic:
Now can you hurry up and do your C+E because I want to read more of your diaries.

Given that his next title is “The Undiscovered Country”, I’m a bit worried about where he’s going to end up…

[coffeeholic]

MrFlibble:
Given that his next title is “The Undiscovered Country”, I’m a bit worried about where he’s going to end up…

Easy. He will eventually end up at an RDC where, after booking in with security, drivers are asked to leave their vehicle in a parking area and hand over the keys to a valet. The valet will put the truck on the unloading bay when required and return it to the parking area when it is empty, leaving the completed paperwork on the driver’s seat. A golf cart will collect the driver and ferry him to waiting area where he will find showers, sauna, jacuzzi, beds, newspapers and a full range of hot and cold meals at subsidised prices, along with free coffee, [zb] and other hot and cold drinks to help pass the waiting time. There will also be a large sign on the wall saying “No Whinging.”

That’s Undiscovered Country.

[keano1]

Very pleased for you Dogmatix.
I have thoroughly enjoyed your daily updates & they have given me a lot of inspiration for when I do my lessons. I have my theory on 22nd June then I shall start my lessons with Tockwith Training in York.
Hope I have as much success as you have.

Congratulations mate& let us know how you do with the C+E

[hammer]

Nice one, been an entertaining week.

Roll on class 1!

[rog]

WELL DONE Dogmatix

I like MrFlibbles’ post on “real life” driving

[tony1968]

Well done. now hurry up and take your C+E so we can have another diary!

[mrflibble]

ROG:
WELL DONE Dogmatix

I like MrFlibbles’ post on “real life” driving

Most importantly, do you disagree?

[bigg_mike]

Jeez ! No faults ! Just shows it can be done eh ?

I wonder how many of us here could claim to have achieved the same high standard ? Me, I’d have to confess to 6 minors on my C test and 4 on C+E, not too bad I suppose but that clean sheet must feel guuuurd !!

Nice one Dogmatix, well deserved and a fantastic post, Thanks !!

[wheel_nut]

That was a good read too.

The only advice Iwould give is pack in the cheeseburgers or you will not get in the cab to do your Class one

[rog]

MrFlibble:

ROG:
WELL DONE Dogmatix

I like MrFlibbles’ post on “real life” driving

Most importantly, do you disagree?

NO - because MrFlibble has considered safety first.
1 SAFE - yes
2 LEGAL - yes
3 AS CONVENIENT (AS POSS) - ok, a bit of compromise here

[dogmatix]

Thank you all for your kind replies, I have also enjoyed reading your thoughts on my progress over the week as well, sorry I have not replied to them individually.

As I am new to the industry I am going to be contacting a few local companies that take on new drivers so I can learn the ropes on Rigids, then maybe in 6 months time look to do the C+E course.

Of course when I do get a job, I will endeavour to provide you with a diary, as I enjoy writing it.

[convoy]

Congratulations

[flying_fenman]

Well done fella.